Meanwhile, the Taoist barked orders at the little demons. The hedgehogs obeyed submissively, rolling on the ground and transforming back into human forms.
Some cleared away the rubble, some went to fetch wine, and others boiled meat.
A thinner, large hedgehog transformed into a human—it was the very worker who had led the way for Nan Zhi earlier.
This worker, named Mao San, let out a deep sigh of relief upon seeing the Taoist's anger turn to joy.
“Master, when it rained earlier, several groups of guests came to stay at our inn. I charged them a bit more silver than the market rate.”
He served half a cooked dog leg from the back, tearing off pieces to go with the Taoist's wine as he spoke flatteringly:
“When Lord Jiao flew into a rage, I saw it clearly. There was a group of people led by a dark-faced young woman who was carrying around an enchanting, extraordinarily beautiful female ghost! Hehehehe...”
He winked and made vulgar expressions as he spoke, looking thoroughly wretched.
“How did your grandpappy teach you daily?! In business, what matters most is the word 'trust'!”
The Taoist was tearing into the dog leg with relish, but hearing this, he suddenly flew into a rage and slapped Mao San across the face with a loud crack:
“Charging those extra copper coins won't make the guests poor, nor will it make me rich. Who will be willing to rest at our foot-shop in the future?
Foolish blockhead! I like beautiful women, but business is business, and women are women. How can you mix them together?
However, since they've left the shop, that's another story...”
The Taoist sucked on his greasy thumb, a lustful glint in his eyes, with two dark greenish bags hanging under them:
“I've tasted women from good families and courtesans from brothels, but I've never tried the flavor of an enchanting female ghost. As the saying goes, 'To die beneath a peony flower, even as a ghost, one remains romantic'...
Do you remember where that group went? If we give chase now, we might still catch up to them.”
Mao San shook his head and pulled out a small red hedgehog from behind:
“Lord Jiao was here earlier, so we didn't dare get too close. Only White 49 saw which direction that group went.”
“Squeak, squeak, squeak! Squeak, squeak!”
The tiny red hedgehog struggled incessantly, its four short legs kicking around in midair for a long while before carefully pointing in a direction:
“Squeak!”
“Ah! To think they went north. What bad luck.”
Upon hearing this, the Taoist showed a hint of regret on his face. He sat back down and tore into the cooked dog leg once more:
“We don't know when that old nun will return. We had better hurry and capture more sheep and donkeys so we can trade for more good treasures when the Gates of Hell open this time.
There are plenty of women, and female ghosts... with a careful search, they aren't impossible to find either. But the opening of the Gates of Hell during the Ghost Festival happens only once a year.”
“Are the Gates of Hell opening in Dongjingfu this year?
I heard Dongjing is filthy rich. A name plaque for a songstress can sell for three thousand taels, and a fine banquet prepared by a master chef from the Immortal Guest House costs at least five hundred taels!”
Mao San's eyes lit up upon hearing this:
“So Master is going to Dongjingfu this year? Then I shall congratulate Master in advance on fulfilling your wish and obtaining Foundation Establishment pills in one fell swoop!”
“Fuck their mothers! If not for the Demon Suppression Division acting so domineeringly and monopolizing the Foundation Establishment Pills, why would my hopes be dashed every single year?
Not long ago, an acquainted ghost messenger told me that this year's Zhongyuan Festival gathering is somewhat different from usual, and many good treasures are bound to appear.”
The Taoist got dog meat stuck in his teeth and pouted at a hedgehog. Immediately, a large hedgehog ran over and exposed its belly for him to rest his feet on:
“Once I use these meat humans to trade for Foundation Establishment pills, I will take you all to the cultivation world to enjoy fortune. The spiritual energy in the mortal realm is extremely thin; I haven't seen a century-old spirit herb in the mortal realm for decades.
If things continue like this and I stay any longer, what difference will there be between a cultivator like me and an ordinary mortal?”
At this thought, the Taoist's face grew a few shades darker.
When all was said and done, it was the Demon Suppression Division being overbearing and arrogant, giving rogue cultivators like them no leeway at all.
Over the years, the Demon Suppression Division not only strictly controlled the allocation of Foundation Establishment Pills, but also closely monitored every single movement of cultivators in the mortal realm.
They even set a rigid rule that “cultivators must not strike mortals.”
Anyone who stepped out of line or broke the precept would be hunted to the bitter end by the Demon Suppression Division, no matter where they fled.
Without exception.
As for deep-seated vendettas or fighting for treasures among cultivators themselves, the Demon Suppression Division couldn't care less.
If not for the Demon Suppression Division, he wouldn't have had to work so hard searching for Foundation Establishment Pills.
If not for that old nun Miaoyun, he wouldn't have spent all these years hiding like a dog, not even daring to step half a foot into Shouzhou City.
Now that the old nun was gone, it was the perfect opportunity for him to make his move.
Once his cultivation reached Foundation Establishment, he could do as he pleased in the mortal realm—money, women, wealth, and power would all be within easy reach.
Before cultivators, mortals were like mole crickets and ants, pitiably weak.
He had no intention of going to any cultivation world; that was merely an excuse to fool these little demons.
This nest of little demons was something he had casually picked up while driving sheep before, and they were obedient to a fault.
These stupid creatures had their hearts set on going to the cultivation world, taking his offhand words completely seriously.
Yet the Taoist had never considered leaving the mortal realm.
—If one couldn't enjoy splendor, wealth, and earthly pleasures while living in this world, what was the point of cultivating?
Were there delicate, gorgeous, and charming songstresses in the cultivation world?
Could one engage in cricket fighting, cockfighting, cuju, or rolling dice to gamble in the cultivation world?
Most importantly, if he went to the cultivation world, he would be nothing more than an ant.
In the mortal realm, however, he could lord over everyone and live carefree and content.
Wine, lust, wealth, and pride—these four desires resided in every person. He refused to believe those people from the Demon Suppression Division never indulged in them.
It was all hypocrisy and nonsense meant to fool ghosts.
The Taoist spat out a bone and wiped his greasy hand on his robe.
“Master is brilliant!”
Mao San's eyes shone brightly, and the surrounding hedgehogs squealed in delight:
“Go to the cultivation world! Go to the cultivation world!”
“We want spiritual energy! We want spiritual energy!”
“We want to become immortals! We want to become immortals!”
“Master's fortune is as vast as the heavens! May your immortal path prosper!”
“Fortune as vast as the heavens! May your immortal path prosper!”
For a time, the foot-shop was filled with the excited chirping of small beasts and an endless stream of flattering blessings.
The Taoist was clearly thoroughly enjoying it.
In the corner, the tiny red hedgehog lay on the ground, twitching its pointy nose, its black bead-like eyes filled with anxiety.
...
Dingyuan County.
In less than two months, unlike the bustling crowds of the past, the Wang Family Manor was now utterly dilapidated, its courtyard overgrown with weeds.
The rockery had collapsed, strange rocks sinking half-buried into the mud along the lake's edge. The lotus flowers in the pond had withered, leaving behind only patches of brown, decaying leaves.
Wine vats and liquor racks were scattered across the ground in a complete mess. Countless hair worms had withered entirely, turning into fine black threads strewn across the floor.
Not long after Wang Fugui died, Old Lady Wang was taken back to her maiden home by her nephew.
Seeing her father-in-law meet a tragic end and her newlywed husband missing, Ma Chunxiang immediately reported it to the authorities to search for him.
Yet who could have guessed that the government officials would give vague excuses and refuse to investigate? Left with no choice, she dismissed the servants and handymen and temporarily had the manor sealed off.
In the entire manor, the only things possessing any sign of life were perhaps the swimming fish in the lake and the sparrows on the treetops.
Rustle!
The willow branches near the wall swayed gently as a long-tailed black scorpion crawled down the wall, heading straight for the black hair worms on the ground and chewing on them ravenously.
“Huaguzi, since you're here, why bother keeping up appearances?!”
A scruffy beggar floated into the courtyard like a ghost and immediately shouted with impatience:
“If you delay any longer and mess up the task ordered from above, let's see how you'll answer to them when you get back!”
Rate on N.U.
